Joel Klatt reveals how likely Ole Miss is to make College Football Playoff in 2025

The College Football Playoff era is still relatively new, with the system expanding to more than two teams in 2014. For the most part, representatives in the playoff have been limited to a small handful of schools.

But which programs might make their first playoff in 2025? It’s a valid question with expansion, one that many more programs now have a legitimate claim to.

Including Ole Miss. FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt picked the Rebels as his second most likely team to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time.

“They’ve got to replace a ton of talent,” Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show. “But I trust Lane Kiffin. He’s not only great at tweeting, he whines a lot about the playoff, which we know, but guy can coach. Lane’s an excellent coach. He’s one of the best coaches in America. I think that people love to hate on Lane, but everywhere he’s been he’s done an excellent job. He’s grown. He’s matured.”

Ole Miss turned over more of its roster than most teams in the country, something that will make picking up right where the team left off in 2024 a little more difficult. But Kiffin is no stranger to quick turnovers.

He’s been an expert at mining the transfer portal for starting-caliber talent. And Ole Miss will once again be relying on transfer talent as it seeks a College Football Playoff berth.

“They are replacing 18 starters, including eight draft picks, five on defense,” Klatt pointed out. “How do they replace them? The No. 4 transfer class with 30 transfers. Wild. They have to replace Jaxson Dart. Austin Simmons. This is also a bet on Kiffin’s offense.

“Kiffin is going to be able to score points. I just believe that. It’s a QB-friendly offense, it’s a QB-friendly situation. Simmons has been in the system for two years, showed what he can do when he came in for a short time during that first half of the win over Georgia, leading them down the field for a touchdown. So he’s got some success in his back pocket.”

On the flip side, the defense also has a ton to replace. It won’t be easy. Still, Klatt has confidence the group can get the job done.

“Pete Golding‘s defense last season was awesome,” Klatt said. “They were the No. 2 scoring defense in the country. They led the nation in sacks, TFLs per game. But that’s a lot to replace. Not saying that they can repeat what they did, but I don’t think they’re going to take a giant step backwards.”

Evaluating Ole Miss’ schedule

One of the easiest ways to identify potential College Football Playoff contenders is to evaluate the schedule. Have a relatively light slate with a lot of returning talent? Pretty good bet to make it.

Ole Miss probably falls somewhere in between on both categories. Klatt broke things down.

“They should be 4-0 when LSU comes to Oxford in late September,” Klatt said. “They’re back-loaded in the schedule, which gives Austin Simmons time to mature in that offense, which is quarterback-friendly. Five of his first six games are at home. There are only four road games in the schedule. Two are versus Kentucky and Mississippi State. Both projected to be two of the bottom teams in the SEC. Their toughest games, can they go 3-2 in them with three being at home?”

Klatt further broke down those five games to see where he might predict Ole Miss to land. Good enough for a College Football Playoff berth?

Not definitely, but certainly within the realm of possibility. Klatt continued.

“OK, so let’s look at this. Toughest games: home against LSU, at Georgia, at Oklahoma, home against South Carolina, home against Florida,” he said. “I believe that if they go 3-2 in these five games, three of which are at home, that they can go to the playoff.

“Do I think they can beat Oklahoma? Yes. Do I think they can beat one of the three — LSU, South Carolina or Florida? Yes. What’s the most likely one? Probably South Carolina, in my estimation. Those are some good quarterbacks you’ve got to play. Those are some really good quarterbacks. At Georgia is just tough, and then you’re going to have (Garrett) Nussmeier at LSU, (LaNorris) Sellers at South Carolina, (DJ) Lagway at Florida and (John) Mateer at Oklahoma. So 3-2 in those five and Ole Miss is going to have a great shot to go to the playoff.”